


Snowfall

by likeawildpotato



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Happy Ending, M/M, Pining, Repressed Feelings, rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 16:13:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13057533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likeawildpotato/pseuds/likeawildpotato
Summary: Link is taking Rhett on a surprise weekend getaway, but Rhett's not sure his heart can handle any more time close to the man he's sure he can never have.





	Snowfall

**Author's Note:**

> For lindz04 - Merry Christmas!

“Where exactly are we going this weekend?” Rhett cocked his head and looked up at Link from his position stretched out on the office couch.

“I told you, it’s a surprise,” Link insisted, his eyes on his phone as he nodded approvingly, though at what Rhett had no idea. “We’ll head out after work tomorrow. Pack warm clothes.”

SItting up and stretching his long arms over his head, Rhett continued to eye Link suspiciously. His best friend was not a spontaneous man. Yet when he got in the car that morning for their Thursday ride into the office, he’d told Rhett that they were going on an adventure that weekend. A late birthday gift, he’d said, since they’d had little time to mark Rhett’s fortieth birthday a couple of months prior between the tour, the book release, the show, and everything else going on that fall. 

Honestly, Rhett had been looking forward to some time alone that weekend. He and Link had spent so many early mornings and late nights working together over the last year -- two years, really, counting the time writing the book and filming the first season of Buddy System. Then there were all the weekends lately on tour. He wasn’t sick of spending time with Link; on the contrary, all the time together, the easy way they completed each other’s sentences and read each other’s mood...it made Rhett feel vulnerable. The two of them had never kept secrets from each other. But these days, Rhett was pouring what little energy he had left after the long hours of work into keeping a secret, a big one. And he really didn’t have much energy left.

Link finally looked up, sliding his phone into his pocket. He grabbed Rhett’s shoulder and flashed his crooked grin. “Come on, brother. You trust me, right?”

Rhett smiled. He couldn’t say no to Link; not after all the times in their life together that Link had said yes to him. “Yeah, man. I trust you.”

The question was whether Rhett could trust himself.

***

At 3:00 p.m. sharp the next afternoon, Link snapped his laptop closed dramatically and stood from his desk chair.

“Time to go, man! I want us to beat some of the traffic.”

“Just a minute,” Rhett mumbled, pretending to read an email on the screen in front of him. In reality, he was taking a few centering breaths and trying to steel himself for a weekend alone with Link. _This shouldn’t be weird_ , he said to himself. _Don’t make it weird._

Over the last several weeks, it had been harder and harder to not “make it weird”. Ever since they filmed the cuddle position episode. It shouldn’t have seemed odd to be so close after years of brotherly hugs, wrestling, and comforting each other through break-ups, family troubles, and the ups and downs of their career. 

And it didn’t seem odd when they were filming. Rhett hadn’t thought much at the time of how much his heart rate evened out when he cuddled with Link. It was a scientific premise, and they were confirming its veracity. It may not have been the most heterosexual-looking segment they’d ever filmed, but they didn’t mind pushing against that line. It brought in the views every time.

But reviewing the episode alone later, something occurred to Rhett as he studied his face on the screen before him. He really was completely at peace in those moments he was tangled up with Link, their bodies pressed against each others’. It was a feeling of rightness, of being at home, that he never felt with any other person. Not his own family. Certainly not any girlfriend he’d ever had.

Since that moment of realization, something had shifted in their friendship, at least to Rhett. Maybe it had been there even longer, hiding in plain sight. All he knew was that he wanted to cuddle more with Link. He wanted to kiss Link. He wanted to do things to Link that he wasn’t even ready to admit to himself.

But he couldn’t. 

He stood from his desk and grabbed his duffle bag. “OK, man. Let’s go.”

***

Rhett squinted and rubbed his eyes before staring again into the pool of light illuminated by the car’s headlights. “Link! It’s snowing! It’s actually snowing!”

Link grinned at Rhett’s childlike enthusiasm as he pulled into the parking pad beside the cabin. “Yeah, it is. I was hoping the forecast for the mountains would be right.”

Rhett stared wide-eyed at Link. “The forecast? You knew that it was going to snow up here? Why didn’t you tell me? This is awesome!”

Link scratched the back of his head, trying to hide a small smile. “Wanted to surprise you. You talk every winter about how much you miss the snow, so I’ve been watching the weather for a chance to take you to see it again.” He opened his car door and stepped out, looking up into the falling snow.

Rhett bounded out of the car, laughing like a little boy back home in Buies Creek. “This is amazing, Link! I can’t believe you planned this for me!” Before he knew what he was doing, he was running around the front of the car and scooping Link into a big bear hug.

Link chuckled into Rhett’s chest, where his face had been unceremoniously squished into his best friend’s coat. 

Link laughed and pushed away from Rhett, and they both leaned against the wooden railing that surrounded the front porch of the cabin. They watched the snow fall, shoulder to shoulder, just like they always sat at the desk while taping. Just like they had always gone though life.

Rhett glanced surreptitiously at Link, taking in his friend’s profile in the dim remains of dusk. The faint glint of silver in his hair only made him more handsome in Rhett’s eyes. And his perfectly-shaped lips...gosh, Rhett wanted to kiss them, to know what they felt like. _Stop it_ , he ordered himself, snapping his eyes straight ahead. _He did this really nice thing for you. As your best friend. Don’t ruin this._

Link took a sudden breath in like he was going to say something. Rhett turned his head and looked over at him, but Link just stared out into the night, eyes unfocused as though his mind were a million miles away.

He nudged Link with his elbow. “You alright, man?” 

Link sighed deeply. “I...I don’t...no, I’m not.”

Rhett turned toward him, concerned. He put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “What is it man? Talk to me.” 

Link awkwardly shrugged off Rhett’s hand and remained facing forward, avoiding eye contact. He spoke hesitantly. “You know all the stuff people say in the comments about us? And, uh, on Tumblr? About us seeming like, you know, more than friends?”

Rhett’s mouth went dry. He felt like all the air had been sucked out of his lungs. He knew what Link was talking about. And clearly Rhett had not been as discrete as he had tried to be about his blossoming feelings. Link knew. He nodded stiffly and braced himself for his best friend to lash into him, to say the show was over, to walk away from him.

Link sighed again and finally turned to face Rhett, his eyes glistening. His voice wavered, his voice barely a whisper. “Do you ever wish they were right?”

Both men held their breath. Finally Rhett let his out in a soft chuckle as he looked down, shyly poking at the snow with the toe of his boot. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

“I...what? You do?” Link stared up at his friend, blushing and stammering. 

Rhett bit his lip nervously as he finally lifted his head to look Link in the eye. “I do. Have for a while. I just...I didn’t think it would ever cross your mind.”

Link’s face broke into a beautiful wide lopsided grin. “Bo, it’s been crossing my mind for years.”

Rhett threw back his head and laughed, his hand on his chest. “Look at us,” he said, still laughing as he looked warmly into Link’s eyes. 

Link had to laugh, too. “We’re a couple of idiots.”

“We probably deserve each other,” Rhett replied, cocking an eyebrow nodding with faux solemnity.

“I was kinda hoping so.” Link smiled softly as he removed a glove and reached up to brush snowflakes from Rhett’s beard. Rhett’s heart pounded as he laid his own mittened hand over Link’s bare one. He held it against his cheek, then slid it down to kiss Link’s fingertips softly, gazing the whole time into his friend’s blue eyes, more beautiful than ever in the soft glow of the front porch light. Link’s eyes were wide and soft with affection, his cheeks pink, his lips slightly parted. 

Rhett released Link’s hand and pulled off his own mittens, dropping them on the stoop at their side. He slipped his hands under the faux fur trimming Link’s hood; his fingertips grazed the short, soft hair on the sides of Link’s head. 

“Can I kiss you?”

“Thought you’d never ask,” Link murmured with a little smirk, grabbing Rhett’s collar and pulling him down until their lips met. Rhett smiled against Link’s lips and slid his fingers to the back of the shorter man’s head, cradling it as they slowly kissed, finally working out how their mouths fit together after both imagining it for so long.

Link wrapped his strong arms around Rhett’s back and held him close. Rhett felt Link’s tongue tenderly prodding at his lips, and he tilted his head slightly as he parted his own lips to deepen the kiss. The snow was falling a little harder, but Rhett felt like he could withstand a blizzard with this man in his arms, kissing him with the sure warmth of a lifetime of love.

Rhett stepped a little closer, closing the entire gap between their bodies. Even through heavy clothes, the warmth and pressure of the other man’s body against his own made Rhett groan softly. He trailed his tongue over Link’s bottom lip, lightly nipping and sucking at it, making Link groan in return. He moved forward even more, walking Link backwards until the dark-haired man’s back was against the porch railing. Rhett grabbed the rail, framing Link in with his arms as he leaned down to put his lips against Link’s ear. 

“I’ve wanted you for so long,” he whispered, still breathing hard from the kiss. “Longer than I even knew. Want to do more than kiss you.”

The breathy whine that escaped Link’s lips was all the confirmation Rhett needed that this was really going to happen. He lowered his head to mouth hotly at Link’s neck, tasting his salty skin and delighting in the needy sounds he drew out of his friend. 

At the same time, he unzipped Link’s down jacket and ran his hands eagerly over his chest. Rhett slid his hands under Link’s sweater. The pads of his fingers grazed Link’s nipples, and Link’s breath hitched. He ran his own hands up Rhett’s shoulders and tangled his long fingers into dirty blond curls. He guided Rhett’s head forward to plant kisses along Link’s throat.

“You know,” Link whispered between soft gasps as Rhett’s mouth and hands explored his skin, “I do have a key in my pocket if we want to take this inside where it’s warmer.”

Rhett lifted his head to look into Link’s eyes, and the hunger he saw there made his knees weak. All he could do was nod as he let his hands fall from Link’s sweater. Link grabbed his hand and led him through the front door and into the next chapter of their lives together.


End file.
